Improvement in machines for cutting diamonds



2 sheets-sheet 1.

A. HESSELS.

Machine for Cutting Diamonds.

FE Patented July 1, 1879.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. HESSELS. Machine for Cutting Diamonds.

g; No. 216,955. Patnted July I, 1 19.

NPETERS, PHOTO LITHOKRAPMEF UNITED STATES PATE T- OFFICE.

ANTHONY HESSELS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING DIAMONDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,955, dated July 1,1879; application filed April 5, 1879.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANTHONY HEssELs,of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinesfor Cutting Diamonds, of which the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurelrepresents a top View of myimproved machine for cutting diamonds with the inclined dopcylinder andits stirrup removed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, online a: m, Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation of the same.Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the facets of a diamond and thegraduation of the dop-carrying cylinder. Fig. 5 is a detail verticalcentral section of the dop-cylinder, and Fig. 6 a top view of the sameon an enlIarged scale and partly in section on line 3 y,

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention is intended to furnish an improved machine for cuttingdiamonds, so that the present slow and tedious process of cutting themby hand may be dispensed with and a more accurate cutting of the facetsthan by hand obtained at a considerable saving of' time and labor.

The invention consists of a horizontally-reciprocating socket-frame anddop, to which the cutting-diamond is cemented, in connection with analternatelyreciprocating carriage, which carries a laterally-adjustableframe that supports an inclined cylinder and dop containing the diamondto be cut. The adjustable supporting-frame also carries avertically-adjustable standard for inserting a dop for cutting the tableand cullets of the diamond. The

lower part of the dop-cylinder is secured, by parallel longitudinalgrooves, into a pivoted clamp-socket of an auxiliary slide-frame, so asto be adjusted axially therein for setting the diamond for cutting thefacets. An adjustable spring-holder is attached, by a clampingroller, tothe conical neck of the dop-cylinder for retaining the dop securely inposition therein for cutting the facets. A swinging stirrup andset-screw serve to retain the dop-cylinder rigidly in position on theconcave seats of the vertically-adjustable standard at the end of thelaterallyadjustable frame. The auxiliary frame, to which theclamp-socket of the cylinder is pivoted, is also laterally adjustable bymeans of a set-screw, and serves, in connection with the end standard,to set the cylinder to the proper angle of inclination in thesupporting-frame for cutting the facets of different inclinations. Theauxiliary frame is adjusted by an index on the graduated side of thelateral slide-frame, and the vertical standard by an adjusting screw-nutalong its guideposts, for accurately setting the cylinder to the properdegree of inclination.

lieferring to the drawings, A represents the horizontally-reciprocatingframe of the upper cement stick or dop, B, which frame is guided inbearin gs of avertical standard, A, and set in motion bya crank-rodconnection with the driving crank-shaft. The top frame, A, carries avertically-adjustable socket, B, into which the dop B, that carries thecutting-diamond, is secured by a set-screw, the socket being alsoarranged with an approved feed mechanism (not shown in the drawings) forfeeding the cutting-diamond in downward direction, so that it graduallyabrades the facets on the diamond to be cut. The rough-cuttin g diamondis cemented to the vertical dop or stick in the usual-manner, andemployed for cutting the facets, &c., of'a second diamond, that isreciprocated below the same.

The diamond to be cut is first cemented into a second dop or stick, 0,which is set into a socket, C of a vertically-adjustable stand ard, 0below the socket of the cutting-diamond. The standard 0 is guided alongfixed vertical posts D of a laterally-adj ustable slideframe, D that isguided on a carriage, D, to which reciprocating motion is imparteduonthe bed-frame from the driving crank-shaft in the same direction as thetop frame, but alternately therewith, so that the diamonds arealwayssimultaneously carried toward and past each other. The verticalstandard and dop serve for cuttingthe table or horizontalptop fingers orby suitable mechanism, so that the slide frame is laterally reciprocatedbelow the cutting-dia1nond, and thereby a perfectly smooth plane for thefacets obtained. On the slide-frame D is guided a second auxiliaryframe, E, which is adjustable in the same direction as frame D by ascrew, a, by which it may be set to any desired position in connectionwith afixed index, I), along the graduated scale b at the side of'frameD.

The auxiliary frame E carries in side posts E two conically-pointedpivots, d, on which frame E swings the clamp-socket E of the inclineddop-carrying cylinder F. The in-- clined cylinder F is clamped into thesocket E by a set-screw, f, which enters into one of a series ofparallel longitudinal and equidistant grooves, f, at the lower part ofthe cylinder, the number of which is in exact propor tion to the numberof facets that are usuallycut at the upper part of the diamond. Thegrooves are extended to some distance above the clamp-socket E andnumbered in the manner indicated in Fig. 4, the figures indicating thediametrically-opposite main facets,

while the triangular marks indicate the intermediate upper and lowerstar facets.

By this mechanism the dop-cylinder F may be axially adjusted in amathematically correct manner, so as to out a corresponding facet on thediamond cemented to the dop F of the cylinder. dop F is inserted into acenter hole of the cylinder and secured at the lower end by a nut. Thetop part of the dop F has a square central socket-hole, into which thelower part of the diamond is inserted after the four lower main facetshave been cut.

The diamond-carrying dop F is further retained in the cylinder by meansof a springholder, G, which bears on the table of the diamond and issecured to a collar, G, that is clamped tightly by a set-screw: andjam-nut, g, to the upper part of the cylinder, to which a slight inwardconvexity is given, so that the spring-holder in clamping the collar tothe cylinder is tightly drawn down on the table of the diamond. Thespring-holder is readily adjusted on the-cylinder to the differentpositions required in cutting the different facets,

and has the important function of holding the diamond rigidly inposition, even if the cement should drop out.

The cylinder is supported in its inclined pos1t1on on concaved seats hof the vertically adjustable standard 0 and clamped thereto by means ofa stirrup, H, that is pivoted to the gulde-posts D and secured tightlyto the collar of the spring holder G by a clamp-screw, .h. The degree orangle of inclination to which the cylinder has to be set, so as to admitthe cutting of the different facets, is obtained by the horizontaladjustment of the The stem or handle of the auxiliary slide-frame E andby the vertical adjustment of the standard 0 The graduation of the slideframe D in connection with a graduated not of the adjusting-screw of thethen cemented into the socket of the vertical standard below thecutting-diamond. The machine is then set into motion, and the table ofthe lower diamond cut by the reciprocating movements of the twocarriages, in connection with the laterally-reciprocating motion of themain slide-frame, as produced by the screw a. The diamond is thenremoved from the dop and cemented thereto with the table downward, beinginserted again into the "ertical socket-for cutting the small lowerplane or cullet. The dop is then set into the inclined cylinder andsecured for cutting the four lower main facets. After these are cut thediamond is taken from the dop and set with the lower partinto the squaresockethole of the dop of the cylinder and cemented thereto. The uppermain and star facets are then successively cut by the simultaneouslongitudinal and lateral motions of the parts, the facets at one sidebeing first cut and then that at the diametrically-opposite side, asindicatedby the figures and marks on the cylinder. The inclinations ofthe cylinder at the exact angles required for the facets are obtained bythe adjusting devices described. After the upper part of the diamond isentirely cut the additional facets of the lower part are cut inanalogous manner, the upper portion of the diamond being then set into acorresponding socket hole of another dop. When all the facets are cutthe diamond is polished in the usual manner.

By my machine the facets are cut in mathematically accurate manner,without the irregularities incidentalto hand-cutting, and thus diamondsof increased brilliancy and refractory power are attained, while theemployment of machinery accelerates the cutting and accomplishes it at aconsiderable saving in time and labor. Thus every diamond receives theso-called gem-cut, which is the most perfect and regular of cuts.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination of a horizontal reciprocating topframe having a vertically-adjustable dop-socket with a reciprocatingcarriage having a vertical standard and dop-socket capable of lateraland vertical adjustment thereon, substantially as set forth.

2. Thecombinationof a horizontally-reciprocatin g top frame having avertically-adjustable socket for the dop of the cutting-diamond with alongitudinally and laterally reciprocating dop-cylinder that is capableof being axially adjusted and set to different angles of inclination,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of a reciprocating top frame and cutting-dopwith areciprocating riage D, having vertically-adjustable standard Olaterally-adjustable slide-frame D auxiliary slide-frame E, pivotedclamp-socket E and inclined dop-carrying'cylinder F, substantially asspecified.

5. The combination of the auxiliary slideframe E, and of pivotedclamp-socket E havin g set-screw f, with the dop-carrying cylinder I,having parallel longitudinal grooves f at its lower circumference foraxially adjusting the cylinder, substantially as specified.

6. The combination of the dop-carrying cylinder F, having a conicalupper part, with a spring-holder, G, collar G, and clamp-screw g, forsecuring the diamond to the dop, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the pivoted dop-cylinder F with avertically-adjustable support-ingstandard, 0 and with a retainingstirrup, H, pivoted to posts of slide-frame D substantially asdescribed. i

8. In a diamond-cutting machine, the combination of the pivoteddop-cylinder F with the vertically-adjustable standard (3 having concaveseats h for the cylinder, substantially as and for the purposedescribed. 7

9. The combination of the adjustable cylinder F, having a central hole,with a. diamondcarrying dop, F, whose stem is passed through thecylinder and secured at the lower end of the same, substantially as setforth.

10. In diamond-cutting machines, a dop having araised center position,with a central socket-hole for inserting the diamond, substantially asspecified. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention Ihave signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 2d day of April,1879.

ANTHONY HESSELS.

Witnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, CARL KARP.

